The Flavour Thesaurus: Lamb and redcurrant

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In the 19th century redcurrant jelly became the thing to serve with roasted muttonGetty Images

Niki Segnit

Published at 12:01AM, June 9 2011

Redcurrants along with many other classic accompaniments to mutton and lamb have been around for centuries

“Faith, I can cut a caper,” boasts Sir Andrew in Twelfth Night,
referring to his prowess on the dancefloor. Sir Toby’s response, “And I can
cut the mutton to ’t’,” may not be Shakespeare’s most inspired gag, but the
pun on caper does suggest that early 17th-century audiences were accustomed
to its pairing with mutton. Mutton itself may have fallen out of favour but
many of its classic accompaniments have been handed down to lamb, which is
often served with capers in upscale restaurants in Britain and France.